Baptism
Sacrament

Sacrament of Initiation
◦ Along with Confirmation and Holy Eucharist
Lays the foundation for Christian life
 Washes away original sin through Christ
and brings us back to God
 Through Baptism, we are freed from sin
and reborn as children of God

Baptism in the Old Testament
Since the very beginning of the world,
water has been the source of life and
fruitfulness
 God’s spirit overshadowed the waters

◦ In the beginning, when God created the
heavens and the earth and the earth was
without form or shape, with darkness over
the abyss and a mighty wind sweeping over
the waters (Gen 1:1-2)
◦ “mighty wind” is the spirit of God
Baptism in the Old Testament

Through the great flood, God made a sign of
Baptism that made an end of sin and a new
beginning of goodness
◦ The LORD wiped out every being on earth:
human beings and animals, the crawling things and
the birds of the air; all were wiped out from the
earth. Only Noah and those with him in the ark
were left. (Gen 7:23)
◦ Never again will I curse the ground because of
human beings, since the desires of the human
heart are evil from youth; nor will I ever again
strike down every living being, as I have done .
(Gen 8:21)
Baptism in the Old Testament

The passage through the Red Sea provides an
image of being set free through Baptism
◦ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at
daybreak the sea returned to its normal flow. The
Egyptians were fleeing head on toward it when the
LORD cast the Egyptians into the midst of the sea. As
the water flowed back, it covered the chariots and
the horsemen. Of all Pharaoh’s army which had
followed the Israelites into the sea, not even one
escaped. But the Israelites had walked on dry land
through the midst of the sea, with the water as a wall
to their right and to their left. Thus the LORD saved
Israel on that day from the power of Egypt. (Ex
14:27-30)
Baptism in the Old Testament

The Israelites crossing the River Jordan
into the Promised land is another
example
◦ For the LORD, your God, dried up the waters
of the Jordan in front of you until you crossed
over, just as the LORD, your God, had done at
the Red Sea, drying it up in front of us until
we crossed over,in order that all the peoples
of the earth may know that the hand of the
LORD is mighty, and that you may fear the
LORD, your God, forever.”
Other References

Jews ritually wash themselves in order to
purify themselves
◦ The LORD told Moses: For ablutions you shall
make a bronze basin with a bronze stand. Place it
between the tent of meeting and the altar, and
put water in it. Aaron and his sons shall use it in
washing their hands and feet. When they are
about to enter the tent of meeting, they must
wash with water, lest they die. Likewise when
they approach the altar to minister, to offer an
oblation to the LORD, they must wash their
hands and feet, lest they die. This shall be a
perpetual statute for him and his descendants
throughout their generations.
New Testament
Jesus was baptized at the start of his public
ministry
 Gave us an example, even though he had no
actual need for it

◦ John tried to prevent him, saying, “I need to be
baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me?” Jesus
said to him in reply, “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting
for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed
him. After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the
water and behold, the heavens were opened [for him],
and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove
[and] coming upon him. And a voice came from the
heavens, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I
am well pleased.” (Mt 3:14-17)
New Testament

Jesus asks that we all be baptized
◦ Jesus said to them, “You do not know what
you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I
drink or be baptized with the baptism with
which I am baptized?” They said to him, “We
can.” Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink,
you will drink, and with the baptism with
which I am baptized, you will be baptized; (Mk
10:38-39)
New Testament

Jesus tells us that Baptism is necessary for
salvation
◦ Jesus answered and said to him, “Amen, amen,
I say to you, no one can see the kingdom of
God without being born from above.” (Jn 3:5)
Baptism in the Church

The Church has celebrated and
administered Baptism from the very day
of Pentecost
◦ Now when they heard this, they were cut to
the heart, and they asked Peter and the other
apostles, “What are we to do, my brothers?”
Peter [said] to them, “Repent and be baptized,
every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Act 2:3738)
Baptism in the Church

Believers enter into communion with
Christ’s death, are buried with him, and
will rise again with him
◦ How can we who died to sin yet live in it? Or
are you unaware that we who were baptized
into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
We were indeed buried with him through
baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was
raised from the dead by the glory of the
Father, we too might live in newness of life.
(Rom 6:2-4)
Baptism in the Church

Through Baptism all sins are forgiven
◦ Original sin
◦ Personal sin
◦ All punishment for those sins

Baptism gives new life to the person and
makes him a part of the Body of Christ
◦ Marks the soul with an indelible sign
◦ Reason Baptism can be received only once
Baptism in the Church

Baptism gives sanctifying grace
◦ Helps the person believe in, hope in, and love
God
◦ Gives the power to live under the gifts of the
Holy Spirit
◦ Allows and encourages growth in moral virtues

Baptism gives faith
◦ Faith received is imperfect and immature, but will
grow
 When baptismal promises are renewed at Easter time
 Parents, Godparents, and the Church community play an
important role in helping faith grow
Rites of Baptism

Sign of the Cross
◦ Marks with the imprint of Christ the one who will
belong to him and signifies the grace of redemption
Christ won for us
The Word of God is proclaimed to enlighten the
revealed truth and elicits the response of faith
 Baptism signifies and provides the liberation from
sin and Satan, the instigator of sin

◦ Exorcism is performed and Satan is openly renounced
◦ Will prepare the baptized to be able to confess the
faith of the Church
Baptism in the Church

Baptismal water is blessed and made holy
through a prayer of epiclesis
◦ Calls upon the Holy Spirit to make the water
suitable for its use

Baptism is performed by triple immersion
in water or by pouring water over the
catechumen’s head three times
◦ Trinitarian formula must be used
◦ “I baptize you in the name of the Father, and
of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit”
Baptism in the Church

Person is anointed with sacred chrism
◦ Signifies the gift of the Holy Spirit
◦ A sign that the baptized shares in the three
powers/functions of Christ:
 Priest
 Prophet
 King

A candle is lit from the flame of the paschal
candle and given to the baptized (or parents)
◦ Calls to mind the light of Christ, which is to be
kept burning brightly
Baptism in the Church

The newly-baptized are given a white
garment to wear
◦ Emphasizes that as children of God, the
baptized are to keep their souls pure, clean,
and spotless
◦ I had a vision of a great multitude, which no
one could count, from every nation, race,
people, and tongue. They stood before the
throne and before the Lamb, wearing white
robes and holding palm branches in their
hands. (Rev 7:9)
Baptism in the Church
Anyone who has not yet been baptized
may receive the sacrament
 Normally performed by a bishop, priest,
or deacon

◦ In extremis, can be performed by anyone,
even someone who is unbaptized
◦ Must follow trinitarian formula
Baptism in the Church

Baptism is necessary for salvation (Cf. Jn 3:5)
◦ The Lord himself affirms that Baptism is necessary for
salvation. He also commands his disciples to proclaim
the Gospel to all nations and to baptize them.
Baptism is necessary for salvation for those to whom
the Gospel has been proclaimed and who have had
the possibility of asking for this sacrament. The
Church does not know of any means other than
Baptism that assures entry into eternal beatitude; this
is why she takes care not to neglect the mission she
has received from the Lord to see that all who can be
baptized are "reborn of water and the Spirit." God
has bound salvation to the sacrament of Baptism, but
he himself is not bound by his sacraments. (CCC
1257)
Baptism in the Church

What if a person dies before he is baptized?
◦ The Church has always held the firm conviction that those
who suffer death for the sake of the faith without having
received Baptism are baptized by their death for and with
Christ. This Baptism of blood, like the desire for Baptism,
brings about the fruits of Baptism without being a
sacrament. (CCC 1258)
◦ For catechumens who die before their Baptism, their
explicit desire to receive it, together with repentance for
their sins, and charity, assures them the salvation that they
were not able to receive through the sacrament. (CCC
1259)
◦ As regards children who have died without Baptism, the
Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she
does in her funeral rites for them. (CCC 1261)
Confirmation
Sacrament

Sacrament of Initiation
◦ Along with Baptism and Holy Eucharist
Completes Baptism
 Known as Christmation in the Eastern
Catholic Churches

Confirmation
Not a “graduation”
 Not something one does simply so they
can get married in the Catholic Church
 Cannot be reduced to a rite of passage
 Not a cultural celebration or party
 Confirmation is a sacrament

◦ i.e. a holy mystery
Confirmation

Confirmation is a sacrament
◦ i.e. a holy mystery
As a sacrament, it communicates and
reveals communion with God and his
grace
 Confers an indelible mark and
predisposed the person to receive the
very life of God and his divine protection

Confirmation
Completes the baptismal grace
 The person participates fully in the body
of Christ, with the rights and obligations
of a spiritual and temporal character
 The Confirmed person is compelled to
witness the Christian faith with conviction
in word and deed

Confirmation
Perpetuates the grace of Pentecost
 The action and presence of the Holy
Spirit is manifested in our character,
words, and actions
 Has a messianic or salvific character
 Christ promised to send his spirit
 This promise was revealed at Easter and
fulfilled at Pentecost

Confirmation

At confirmation, we receive the Holy
Spirit, the paraclete, the advocate that
Christ promised us
◦ Helps us continue the mission of Christ
◦ Strengthens our faith
◦ Guides us toward Truth
Christ’s Mission is Our Mission

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me to bring glad
tidings to the poor. He has sent me to
proclaim liberty to captives and recovery
of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed
go free, and to proclaim a year acceptable
to the Lord.” (Lk 4:18-19)
Confirmation in the Church

Confirmation requires and involves a
mature faith
◦ A desire to grow in the knowledge of God

A commitment to one’s faith
◦ Church
Involves a commitment to know more
about our faith’s teachings, practices, and
traditions
 Involves sharing this gift of faith with
others

Faith of the Church
Celebrates the faith of the Church in the power of the Holy Spirit given to
us at Pentecost
 When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place
together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong
driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there
appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on
each one of them. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began
to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in
Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were
confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They
were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people
who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his
own native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of
Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and
Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers
from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we
hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.” (Acts
2:1-11)
Celebration of Confirmation
Anointing with chrism on the forehead
 Laying on of hands
 And the words: “Be sealed with the gift of
the Holy Spirit”
 Normally celebrated by the bishop

◦ May be a priest at certain times
 Must be specifically delegated by the bishop
◦ Easter Vigil – bishop cannot physically be
present at all of the confirmations throughout
his diocese
Celebration of Confirmation

In the Eastern Church, confirmation is
celebrated immediately following Baptism
◦ Even in the case of infants

In the Western Church, confirmation is
delayed until the person is of a certain age
◦ With adults, confirmation immediately follows
Baptism
Anointing With Chrism

Anointing with fragrant oil has been a
sacramental for thousands of years
◦ Begun by ancient Jews
◦ The practice for confirmation since the
earliest days of the Church

We are anointed with holy chrism as a
sign that we are now able to spread the
Kingdom of God on Earth
Oil is a Symbol
Of Strength and healing
 In confirmation, we receive the strength
and grace to be witnesses of the
resurrected Christ and to do what is right
and good
 But the one who gives us security with
you in Christ and who anointed us is God;
he has also put his seal upon us and given
the Spirit in our hearts as a first
installment. (2 Cor 1:21-22)

Sponsors

Role is to help the one being confirmed
to remain firm and strong in the faith
◦ Until confirmation, the Holy Spirit is present,
but not yet fully realized by the one being
confirmed

Role models of faith
◦ Give support, inspiration, and guidance to the
one being confirmed
◦ Example of faith in action
Confirmation

God is able to make every grace abundant
for you, so that in all things, always having
all you need, you may have an abundance
for every good work. (2 Cor 9:8)